Fifteen Named to Earthquake Hazards Reduction Advisory Committee

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William Jeffrey, director of the Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), has named 15 distinguished academic, industry and government experts to serve on the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) Advisory Committee on Earthquake Hazards Reduction (ACEHR). Established by the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977, NEHRP is the federal government's program to reduce the risks to life and property from earthquakes. NEHRP consists of four federal agencies: the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and NIST. Congress designated NIST as the lead agency for NEHRP in 2004.The responsibilities of the new independent advisory committee include assessing:

trends and developments in the science and engineering of earthquake hazards reduction;

the effectiveness of NEHRP in performing its statutory activities (improved design and construction methods and practices; land use controls and redevelopment; prediction techniques and early-warning systems; coordinated emergency preparedness plans; and public education and involvement programs);

any need to revise NEHRP; and

the management, coordination, implementation and activities of NEHRP.

The initial terms for the advisory committee will be staggered, with appointed members listed below serving one, two or three years, with a possible full three-year second term. (After completing two consecutive full terms of service, committee members will need to leave the Board for a full year before being eligible for any additional terms.)

The chairperson of the USGS Scientific Earthquake Studies Advisory Committee (SESAC) will serve in an ex officio capacity on the new committee. For more information on NEHRP, including biographical information on the advisory committee members, go to www.nehrp.gov.

As a non-regulatory agency of the Commerce Department's Technology Administration, NIST promotes U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life.